FEBRUARY 2008
Ending Homelessness in the Commonwealth: A Leadership Summit on Housing First
Attendees are urged to use expertise to help end homelessness
More than 100 individuals including government officials, non-profit board members and community leaders from across the Commonwealth attended Ending Homelessness in the Commonwealth: A Leadership Summit on Housing First on January 23, 2008 in an effort to increase support for and action to end homelessness. The summit, geared toward board members of homeless service providers throughout the Commonwealth, was a collaborative effort by United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, One Family, Inc. and the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance to raise public and political will for Housing First strategies.
The Center for Urban and Regional Policy at Northeastern University generously donated the space, and Barry Bluestone, Director of the Center, opened the event followed by remarks from United Way Board Member Myra Kraft. Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray (pictured above) presented the keynote address, focused on the recently released recommendations of the Commission to End Homelessness. Lieutenant Governor Murray chairs the newly revitalized Massachusetts Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness, which is charged with the task of implementing the commission’s recommendations.
A panel discussion included speakers from the private, non-profit and government sectors who touted the merits of a Housing First approach to ending homelessness. Pictured (left to right): James Cuddy, Executive Director, South Middlesex Opportunity Council, Dr. Dennis Culhane, Professor of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania, Anna Colton, Executive Vice President, Bank of America, State Representative Byron Rushing and Matt Fishman, Vice President of Community Health at Partners Healthcare. Dan Fireman, One Family Board President, introduced the Lieutenant Governor and Peter Forman, President and CEO of the South Shore Chamber of Commerce, closed the event by calling upon attendees to bring their leadership abilities and business acumen to the task of ending homelessness.
"We were most excited by the number and diversity of non-profit board members in attendance at this gathering. The summit was a wonderful opportunity for us to bring the message of Housing First to a new audience” said Joe Finn, executive director of the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance. “The interest in and energy around this event shows there is growing recognition that ending homelessness in the Commonwealth is possible. We couldn't be more pleased with the turnout and look forward to partnering with attendees to create more housing-based solutions to homelessness.” Click here to view Dr. Culhane's presentation from the event.
Pictured above, clockwise from top left: Joe Finn of MHSA, Peter Forman, President, South Shore Chamber of Commerce, and Linda King of the Lowell Department of Planning and Development; Lieutenant Governor Murray and One Family Board President Dan Fireman; MHSA Board Member Dr. Dennis Culhane talks with Mike Durkin, President and CEO of the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley and Jeff Hayward, Senior Vice President of Community Impact at United Way; the standing-room only crowd listens to presentations.
